By Mohammed Kandi
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), has honoured Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, as the organisation’s new ambassador.
The honour came shortly after Dr. Adesina launched the Groundnut Value Chain (GNVC) Project yesterday, in Abuja.
The Director-General of ICRISAT, Dr. William Dar, who bestowed the minister with “ICRISAT ambassador” said Dr. Adesina was the 4th honouree of such distinguished award.
He mentioned those who received the award in past including “Mr Bill Gates,…, former Indian President, APJ Kalam and Chairman, World Agricultural Forum and former Prime Minister of Newziland, Jim Bolger.”
Receiving the award, Dr. Adesina recalled that he had begun his career at ICRISAT in 1988 in India, saying “I have always jad an admiration for all the grate scientists and global scientists that I have worked with at ICRISAT.”
Dr. Adesina, who dedicated the award to the ministry’s hard working staff, however, noted that “on behalf of my President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who has been supporting us tremendously to achieve all that we have so far, I accept this humbly from you”.
